My Guide to Moving to China

We have officially been out for over a year. What a difference a year makes. This is a compilation of what I wish I had brought, what was totally useless and my tips for those moving to China.

What to Bring:

• Good attitude and sense of humor. Crazy things are going to happen. Laugh about it. Life will be easier and you will be a lot happier. 
• Download wechat, it is the primary form of communication in China. 
• Deodorant is not sold here. Bring your own.
• Books in English (some can be found on Taobao)
• Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
• Board games, card games
• Scented candles
• Clothes. The clothes here are really tiny and won't fit most Americans. Name brands such as GAP, H&M, etc. are much more than in America because it is taxed as a luxury good.
• Buy a VPN or two. I like express VPN and Vypr
• Feminine Hygiene products: you can find cheap pads, but there are no tampons in China. I would bring my own pads as well as tampons.  
• Make-up is available, but is expensive and many of it has whitening chemicals in it. 
• Baking items: the Chinese don't bake. Bring your own small cake pans, pie pans, etc. The ovens here are very small mine measures 11x14 inches.
• Insect repellent 
• Food: It is very hard and or expensive to find many common western foods, and some foods such as popcorn will be confiscated if it's mailed to you. This is a list of food I would bring.
•  brown gravy mix, ranch dressing or ranch dressing mix, popcorn, pudding, Jell-o, chocolate, US brand cereal, salt crackers such as Ritz, pretzels, mayonnaise (you can find it, but it is sweet and gross), pancake mix, maple syrup, turkey stuffing, cranberry sauce, BBQ sauce, granola bars, baking powder, chocolate chips, taco seasoning, sloppy joe mix, Dr. Pepper, vanilla, muffin mix, coffee, baby formula, vitamins
• For Children bring: books, high quality toys (the toys here are cheap and fall apart. Name brand toys sell for double the price), construction paper, index cards, car seat, strollers, quality back packs, quality shoes
• Medication: any prescription medication, Aleve, Tylenol, etc. allergy medicine, anti-diarrhea medicine,  cold medicine and cough drops.
• hand sanitizer
• Shoes: the shoes don't get bigger than a US women size 8 and men size 11
• hand lotion
• contacts and contact solution
• A momento from home and chocolate for the days you are homesick 

Frequently asked questions:

• Should I have a baby in China? No way! health checks will be ok, but they don't give epidurals, three women and their babies are placed in one recovery room, you need to provide your own sheets, food, etc. The Rhogram shot is illegal in China, so if you need that you have to smuggle your own in. If I were pregnant in China I would either go to the American hospital in Beijing or Shanghai or go out of the country to have my baby. 
• Is it safe: yes, but use common sense. Look both ways multiple times when crossing the street, pay attention to your surroundings, etc.
• Should I learn Mandarin? Yes, most of the population does not speak English. Learning even just numbers and a few phrases makes things a lot easier. 

Don't bring:

• Too many clothes. Chinese only wear one outfit a week, although I don't suggest that you really don't need tons of clothes and most apartments don't have closets to hang them in.
• Dishes: I used to host dinners and parties at my house and needed a lot of dishes. Here we get together with friends at restaurants, so the dishes are unnecessary.